The Government has agreed to recommend to the Governor‑General, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, that Mr Michael Callaghan AM PSM be reappointed as part‑time Chairperson of the Commonwealth Grants Commission (CGC) for a five‑year period.
The Commission is an independent authority that provides advice to the Government on how revenue from the goods and services tax should be distributed to the states and territories to ensure equitable access to services.
Mr Callaghan has been the Chairperson of the CGC since June 2020. Prior to his role as Chairperson, he spent 38 years in the Australian Treasury, including as the Deputy Secretary responsible for Macroeconomic Group from 2008 to 2012. He was Chief of Staff to former Treasurer Peter Costello, served as Australia’s G20 Finance Deputy and the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy, International Economy, and spent four years on the IMF Executive Board in Washington DC.
Mr Callaghan chaired the Government’s review of the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax and the review of the Economic Impact of the Government’s Regulation Agenda in 2017. He also chaired the Northern Australia Insurance Premiums Taskforce. From 2013 to 2014 he was Director of the G20 Studies Centre at the Lowy Institute.
This proposed reappointment would ensure the CGC continues to provide high quality advice to the Government on the distribution of the GST revenues.
The Government congratulates Mr Callaghan on the Government’s recommendation of his reappointment to the Governor‑General.